Fuel-intake heater for engines.



A. 5., POWELL -EUEL INTAKE HEATER FOR ENGINES.-

APPLICATION L 50 JAN. U. 1917- 1,260,040. Patented Mai'.19, 1918INVENTOR WITNQESSES I I A ATTORNEY ABSALOM E. POWELL, 0F LAPEER,MICHIGAN.

FUEL-INTAKE nEA'rEn FOR ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent. I Patented lIar. 19, 1918.

Application filed. 1mm 17, 1917. Serial No. 142,931.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABSALOM E. POWELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lapeer, in the county of Lapeer and State of Michigan, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Fuel-Intake Heaters for Engines,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fuel intake heaters for engines of theinternal combustion or explosion type, the object of the invention beingto produce a heater in which the hot exhaust gases from the engine areutilized for the purpose of heating the incoming mixtureor fuel and aircombined so as to raise the temperature of the combustible fuel beforeit is delivered to the combustion chambers of the engine, therebyeffecting a material saving of fuel, producing a mixture that is morehighly combustible, increasing the power efliciency of the engine,eliminating to a considerable extent the accumulationof carbon in theengine and also enabling lower grades of hydro-carbon than gasolene,such as kerosene or crude petroleum to be utilized with the sameefficiency as gasolene.

A further object of the invention is to produce a heater having thequalities above referred to, the construction of which is such as toadapt it to be readily associated with internal combustion enginesalready in use, either taking the place of the usual exhaust manifold orbeing used as an adjunct to the intake manifold.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereindescribed, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through afuel intake heater embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through the same taken about centrallythereof.

The fuel intake heater contemplated in this invention, comprises anouter shell 1 and an inner shell 2, said shells being preferablycylindrical or consisting of suitable pipe lengths and being arranged inconcentric and spaced relation to each other.

The outer shell 1 has associated with the opposite extremities thereofheaders 3 and 4, the header 4 being screwed upon the threadshown in Fig.1.

ed end portion 5 of the inner shell 2, while the other header 3 has asliding fit on the inner shell. Each of the headers 3 and 4 is formedwith a rabbet 6 to receive the adjacent extremity of the outer shell 1and the two headers 3 and 4 are drawn tightly against the extremities ofthe outer shell 1 by means of tie bolts 7 which pass through flanges 8of the headers and are threaded to receive tightening and clamping nuts9.

The inner shell 2 is threaded at its op 0- site ends to receive headers10 and 11 which are screwed thereon. The header 10 is provided with afuel or mixture inlet 12 while the header 11 is provided with a heatedniixture outlet 13 from which the mixture is conducted by means of asuitable pipe (not shown) to the intake manifold of an internalcombustion engine.

The header 10 is formed with a safety port let which is normally closedby a safety valve 15 held to its seat by means of a spring 16 whichsurrounds the valve stem 17, the latter being slidable through aU-shapedbracket or arch 18 having a fixed relation to or formed integrally withthe header 10 as 19 designates a nut threaded on the steml7.

The outer shell 1 is provided with two nipples or connections 20 and21', either of which may be used to admit the hot exhaust from theengine to the space between the outer and inner shells 1 and 2, whilethe other is used for carrying off the exhaust after it has circulatedaround the inner shell 2 in the exhaust chamber or space 22. The freshmixture or fuel is received in the chamber 23 formed by the inner shell2.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings it will now be understood that the fresh mixture from acarbureter (not shown) is admitted through the outlet 13 to the intakemanifold of the engine. \Vhile passing through the chamber 23, the freshmixture or fuel is heated by the hot exhaust gases circulating withinthe chamber 22. In case of back fire from the engine, the safety valve15 is; displaced or unseated for an obvious purpose.

I claim s A fuel intake heater, comprising an outer shell, an innershell in spaced and concentric relation thereto, headers for said outershell encircling the inner shell, tie bolts connectouter shell, a safetyvalve connected with ing said headers, headers at the opposite one ofthe headers of the inner shell, and

ends of the inner shell, one formed with having an outwardly projectingstem, and a a fuel inlet and the other with a fuel outlet, guide on thelast named header for said 5 an exhaust inlet connected with one of thevalue-stem.

headers of the outer shell, an exhaust out- In testimony whereof I aflixmy signature.

let connected with the other header of the AB'SALOM E. POlVELL.

Cugklcaaofl this patent may be ubtainedfiorfive cents each,hy-addressing the Commissioner 'of Patents,

, Washington, D. 6.?

